Rekha & Jaya Bachchan – Bonding Together !

They have never come together on screen after Yash Chopra’s Silsila in 1981. And left to themselves, they avoid each other like the plague. However, the love of lensman Gautam Rajadhyaksha brought Jaya Bachchan and Rekha face to face at the book release function on Friday night.

Aur phir kya? Hell broke loose! It was a packed hall, the dignitaries included theatre-literary stalwart Vijaya Mehta, singing sisters Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Hema Malini, Padmini Kolhapure and Kajol. But honestly, did anyone care? The media was doing its own number.

The first disappointment for the media was a change in the order. Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan was to release the book with Lata. However, he was replaced at the nth hour by his eminent wife. And the media, which usually has a field day focussing on Rekha everytime the Big B is in the same vicinity, had an equally charged time capturing the diva’s expressions whenever Jaya spoke.

The evening had all the ingredients for a masala movie. Lata, Hema and Jaya sat on one side, while Rekha maintained a safe distance for most part of the evening seated on the opposite side with her faithful companion Farzana.

When the other dignitaries were invited on the podium, Rekha who has been a very staunch Gautam supporter was left sittingin the audience. The concerned parties may have had their reasons, but it looked odd because juniors like Kajol and Padmini were invited on the stage.

Obviously the stage wasn’t big enough for Jaya and Rekha. How else does one explain this lapse? The media couldn’t help but buzz about how Rekha was sidelined. One reporter remarked, “Everytime someone from the Bachchan family is around, Rekha is reduced to a wall flower. Surely those who managed the show should have treated her more sensitively.”

Mind you, Rekha was called on stage later and the photographers did get their photo-op… but it seemed like an afterthought. Source